Improvement in paper-bag machines



CHARLES F. ANNAN, OF BOSTON, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND HERBERT S. MERRILL, OFv CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

Letters Patent No. 111,802, dated February 14, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT l'N PAPER-BAG MACHINES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part ofl the same.

To all w/wllt fit may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. .-XNNAN, ot' Boston, ill the county of Suffolk alld State of Massachusc tts, have invented certain Improvements' in Machines i'ol Making Paper Bags, ot' whicll the followillg is a full, clear, and exact descriptioli, reference heilig had to the accompanying drawing-vmaking part ot' this specification, ill which- Figul'e 1 is a perspective View ot' lily improved inacllilie for iliaking papel' bags. Figure 2 is a plllll of the under side ot' the same.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the same.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical scctioli oli the lille f Figure 5 is a transverse vertical section on the lille y y ot' iig. 4.

l Figure (i is a transverse vertical section on the lille 5 s ot' fig. 4.

Figures 7, S, 9, 10, and 11, details to be referred to.

My invention colisists, firstly, in agrooved shaft or spindle provided with sliding conical collars,'lietween whicll is placed the roll of paper to be made into bags, the distance between. the centers ct' tlvo consecutive grooves heilig exactly equal to one-half of the differelice in the widths of two slleets ofpa-pcr ofconsecutive sizes, the sliding collars heilig brought snugly against the ends ofthe roll, alld beilig clamped when adjusted in position, thereby holding the paper as it is fed forward truly in a line with the center of the lnachine; alid l My invention consists, secondly, ill suspending the leading roll77 in bearings ill arms loosely pivoted to the frame-work,aild ill adjusting these 4aruis by setscrews or otherwise to bring the axis of the ro'll in the platie required for smoothly colldlictillg the sheet of paper centrally ili the lilie ot' draft; aud- My invention consists, thirdly, in supporting the paste-box by arms pivoted loosely to the arms in which 'the leading i'oll revolves, alid also in adjusting the said arms supporting the paste-box, by set-screws or otllerwise, with reference to the leading roll, so as to nicely regulate the distance between it and the periphery ot' the wlleel which lays the paste oli the paper, the said wheel resting ill spring Dealings alid its box sliding longitudinally to bring the periphery ot' the wheel over the point or edge of the paper where the paste is to be delivered, these several adjustments heilig necessary to accommodate sheets ot' paper of different widtlls alid thicknesses without wrillklillg; and

Myillventioll consists, fourthly, ill providing the har of the knife which severs the bag from the paper strip with a device by which the inclination ot' the kiiite with respect to the brake and former may be regulated as required, together with certain adj ustlneiits made by slots and set-screws by which the knife may he moved in a horizontal plane to bring its edge at the proper distance in the rear ot' the former; and

My invention consists, lifthly, in a brake provided with a roller, whereby the friction on the paper strip is materially reduced and the liability ot' its being torll or misplaced avoided; and

My invention also consists in certain minor details to be referred to hereafter;

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the manner ill which I have carried it out.

In the said drawing- A-is the frame-work, in bearings on the outside of which is iliade to revolve a shaft provided with a gear, 1S, which drives a gear, C, on olieend of the lowerone, D, ofthe front pair ot' feed-rolls, the upper roll E being revolved by the friction communicated through the paper strip thereto or by gear, it' preferred.

G H I are gear by means ot' which the rear pair of feed-rolls J K are revolved.

A roll of paper of the proper width to form a bag of the required size is placed on the shaft or spindle L, which rests in hearings 14 in the frallie-work, and is provided with a series of grooves, a, the distance between the centers of two consecutive grooves heilig exactly equal to one-half the difference between the widths ot' two sheets of paper ot' consecutive sizes in order that slidiilg collars b c may be brought up to the ends of rolls of paper ot' varying widths.

r1`ho out-cr elld ot' the collar b is provided with all illclilled dovetailed groove for the reception of a correspondingly-tormed piece, el, provided with two open` i'llgs, 15 1o', connecting with each other, (see figs. G and 11,) the opeiiillg 15 being ot' a size suiiicielitly large to allow ol' the piece slipping freely along the. shat't, wllelrhrollght in a lille concentric therewith, to adjust it to the end ot' the roll of paper to be used, and the opening 16, heilig slnaller than that l5, to prevent the sliding ot` the piece (Z, after adjustment, from the particular groove in which the collal' b is to be secured, the sliding piece andthe dovetailed groove heilig tapering or wedge-Shaped, as seen in fig. l1, so

that, when the center of the opening 16 is brought in line with the axis ot' the shaft, the piece will be securely heldin the collar to prevent its heilig moved laterally oli the shaft away from one end -otthe roll ot' papel'. i

The endot the shaft or spindle opposite to that provided with grooves is flattened to allow the collar c, when adjusted, to be securely clamped in place by a set-screw, 17. v

In addition to the adjustments described for the ac- V ycolnlnodation ot rolls ot'paper ot' varying widths,aud

sind (tffitt supplementary to said adjustments, l design to provide a means whereby the spindle L may be moved longitudinally, if necessary, to bring the roll of papel' into its true position.

'lhc sheet of paper is now colldllcted up over a leading roll, M, .which has its hearings in the upper ellds of arms c, pivoted at their lowel' ends 1S to the frame-work. rlhis leading roll is iliade adjustable to brillg its axis into the plane required for the proper delivery of the paper by llleans of set-screws 19 passing through projections 20 on the outside of each of the arms c, by wllich construction either or bot-ll of the upper ellds ofthe arms are raised or depressed as required.

N is a paste-box resting on a cross-bal', 0, which is supported at its ends ou the outer extremities of short arms 21, pivoted 'at 22 to the arms e, in which the leading l'oll M revolves.

rIlhe lower side of thc paste-box is provided with a guide, 2e, by wllich it is kept in position while being slid lougitudillally along the dovetailed edgesof the cross-bar O, a set-screw, 25, being turned down thereon when the box is in the right position to bring the periphery of a wheel, P, which distributes the paste, immediately over one edge of the paper strip.

The paste-wheel P rests in spring bearings f, tig. 1, l

and the distance of its periphery from the leading` roll is regulated by operating set-screwsffl and 27, whicll also serve to keep the wheel P in a'vertical position, by which construction paper of Various thicknesses may pass under the wheel and be supplied witll paste as required, the spring bearings enabling the wheel to yield and conform to inequalities which often occur ill the thickness of the paper.

From the leading roll the paper is drawll, ill a lille with the center of the machine, under a curved guide, Q, of the form see-n iu iig. 4, the curvature ofthe np*- per ends being suchas to admit of folding theedges of the paper.

Tile upper ends of the curved guide Q nlay be raised 0r depressed by shortening or increasing the length of a brace or support, It, by turning the nut 28 in order that the guide may receive the pitch required for bags-of different sizes.

Tile lower ends of the curved guide Q are provided with tapering or beveling edges, in order that the papel' strip may be shaped and creased preparatory to going under a former, S, against which the front edge ofthe curved guide rests, the said edge being notched at 29, and resting upon the rear edge of the former, in order that the curved'guidelnay befree to be adjusted to .luy inclin'z'ttion` by means ofthe-#brace or support R, and may be readily removed to substitute guides of dilfercnt widths correspondingr to the widtlls of various-sized bags.

As the curved guide above referred to forms the subject-matter of another applica-tion for Letters Patent made by lne simultaneous with 'the present application, I do not deemit necessary to nlorc particularly describe its constructionhere.

Extending transversely over the frame-work is a bridge-piece, T, 0f arched form, through a projection, 30, rising from which passes the upper end of the brace or support R.

In ahorizontally-grooved stlld, g, figs. 1 alld 7, proceeding vertically down from' the under side of the bridge-piece, slides a bloclr, 7l, to which is secured, at 31, the upper 'end of a .vertical arm, U, which, by means of a slot and screw 33, l'iiay be swung upon and clamped to the sliding block h; to `regulate the distance of the front edge of the former S from the edge of theknife V, which sevel's the bag from the paper s tri'p.

The foot of the arm U is split, so as to form two pieces, one, fi, of which may be brought up against or removed from the main portion of the arm by operating a screw, 34, the ullder side of the foot'beiug pro vided with a dovetailed circular groove, to enable it a projection, 85, of corresponding form, on'tlle outer end of' the former, by which construction' the front edge of the former may be swung laterally around or be raised or depressed and advanced to a point slightly forward of the knife, so as to simply touch witllout pressing upon the underside of the upper one K, of the rear pair oifeed rolls J K, these adjustments being necessary to allow the former to swing freely on its pivot, and'be directed by the paper into lille with the draft of the machine, thereby avoiding the wrinkling of the paper. l

As also the arm U forms the subject of an application for Letters Patent -made by lne simultaneous with the present application, and that for the `Vcurved guide previously referred to, it 'will be unnecessary to further relate to it here. v

The width of the rear end of the former i is less tween these points, andlthe edges of botll sides of the formel' are beveled so that the paper in its passout as required.`

The front of the fornler in stead of being provided with zrknife-edge is provided with a series of notches orv sel-rations, 37, and the edge of the knife is also` similarly constructed; this form being better adapted for severing the bag from the strip without unnecessary friction and without injury to the papel'.

After passing under the curved guide Qi the central portion of the paper strip is conducted on a fiat bedplate, \V, under the former, the edges of the paper being partially bent over by passing under alld in contact with guide-fingers lv' Z, of the form shown in figs. 1 and 5, these fingers being provided with slots 38 and setscre ws 39, by which they are made adjustable longitudinally to and from the center of the machine, and also made to swivelin the arc of a circle in order that the under fold of the paper, when being turned over, lnay not come ill conta-ct with and remove the paste from the outer fold.

Tile bed-plate \V is adjustable laterally to accomlnodate forlners of different widths required ill making bags of dil-ferent sizes by mechanism now to be described.

Underneath the sides alld supportiug'the bed-plate are two frames, X Y, to the forlner of which one side of the bed-plate is permanently secured by screws 40, while the other side of the bed-plate is provided with slots 41 for the reception of screws 42, passing through a strip which serves as an adjustable guide, m,for one side of the former, by whicll construction the bedplate and its frames X Y are free to be moved latercoinmodate formels of various widths and to bring them centrally illto the proper position to allow of their being freely moved into the line of draft oy the strip of papel' passing under it.

n is a stationary strip or guide, secured through the frame X to the bed-plate.

The rightand-left-handed screw-shaft Z passes through correspondingly-formed screw-nuts o 1), the frames of the bed-plate resting and-sliding upon circular guides q q, secured to the frame-work of the machine.

It will thus be seen that by operating the screwshaft Z the bed-plate may he readily moved, laterally, to bring its stationary guide n up to one edge of the paper strip bent over the former, while the slots 4l alld screws 42 afford a convenient means of bringing the sliding guide m iuto'its position with respect. to the other edge of the former.

Extending transverselyfrom the sides of the machine a'nd secured-thereto are two studs, fr r. between to bo fit-ted over and secured lnore or less` loosely to than that at the points G, and tapers gradually beage under the formel' may be smoothly spread or drawn f ally by a right-and-left-handed screw-shaft, Z, to ac-' which is'pivoted, at 44, a knife-bar, 8to which is secured the knife V, provided with slots and screws 45, by which it may be adjusted thereon to compensate for wear.

"The ends .of the studs are intended to be provided with' slots 47,v (see'fg. 10,) ilo allow of the bar s, with its knife V, being moved in a horizontal plane above the former to regulate the famount of space which itshall -be placed in, the rear ofthe front edge of theformer and its position with respect to the brake a, vpresently to be explained.

One end of the knife-bar is provided with a bent projection, 48, through whiehpasse's a screw, 49, the lower end of the screw being turned down upon one of the studs r, so as to incline the knife at a greater or lesser angle down toward the edge of the former and toWTd the brake, which becomes necessary when severing bags frompaper x-ltrips of more than ordi! nary thickness. l j

50 vis a-transverse bar, whose ends are secured -to the sides lof the framework, the center of the bar being provided with a cylindrical opening for the reception of and to guide a vertical rod, 51, to the top ofywhich is secured a cross-piece, 52 prpvided with a i zro'ller,"53, the two forming a brake, u, which rises at every length of a bag against the paper strip to press vit against the edge of the former and that of the knife, i

to seyerthe bag with its unclosed bottom therefrom,

theouterv fold, provided with paste, being pressed down on, and stuck to the ,under fold by the passage of the strip under` the rear pair of feedrolls,`J K,

the lower roll K being `formed of two collars, 54 55,

which are made to slide upona shaft, 56, and are clamped at the required distancev from each other toaccommodate formers of different widths.

The roller 53 of the bralke is-designed to produce only sutiicient friction on the paper strip to enable it to seventhe bag from the strip without' dragging ony and injuring it and without retarding its progress through the feed-rolls.

lhemechanism by which the brake-roller is brought up periodically will now be described.

The lower end of the vertical rod 51 of lthe brakelroller is'pivoted to one end of a short arm, c, the

other end of the arm bein'g secured to a rocker-shaft, w, resting in bearings 57 in the frame-work.

58 is another short arm, having one end secured to therocker-shaft ur, while its opposite end is pivoted tothe upper end of an arm, 59, the lower end of which is pivoted. to one end of a long` lever, 60, pivoted to a short pin projecting from the inside of the One end of the shaft of the lower front feed-rolll D projects outside of the frame-work and carries a gear, 65, which drives a pinion, 66, which has its bearings in one endof a bifurcated plate, 67, pivoted at 68 rto a short stud, 69, figs. l and 8, secured to the frame-work at 70; the pinion 66 engaging with a similar pinion, 71, having its bearings in the opposite vend 7 .l of the bifurcated plate 67.

The pinion 71 drives a gear, 73, onv the end of the camshaft 64, which projects outside the frame, and,

length of thebag to b`e made, and, therefore, it hel.comes necessary to provide a means whereby it may be brought up more or less often..

This is done by adjustments of the bifurcated plate m67, in connection with, different sizes of gear applied ,vtheretm 'lhe stud 69 is intended to be moved longitudinally on the frame-work by means of a screw, 70, passing lthrough a slot, 75,'(see fig. 8,) in the stud in order that the point 68, where the bifurcated arm is pivoted thereto, maybe moved so as to increase or diminish the distance between the center of.eaeh pinion and the gear with which it engages, to allow of the substitution of gear of different diameters.

A To still further aid in the adjustment of these f gears, the bifurcated plate 67 is provided with a slot, 76, (see figs. l, 4, and 8,) for the passage of a screw, 77, into the stud 69, by which construction the bifurcated plate may be madeto swivel ou its pivot 68, thereby again changing the position of the center of each pinion, relative to the center of its gear.

The bearings ofthe ends of the several feed-rolls pair upon its lower one is controlled by spiral spn'g's passing through the ends of a cross-piece, 80, onthe u'nder side of which the tops df the springs bear, the spring bearings yielding to conform to'any irregularity `in the feed-rolls or ineqnality'in the paper strip 'as it is being fed through the ma hine.

By means of the aboveescribed adjustments bf the curved guide, former, bed-plate, knife, brakeroller and other mechanism, I am enabled in one and sizes required.

Claims.

'What I claim as my invent-ion, 'and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- I 1. A grooved shaft, L, provided with sliding colforth.

2. Ifhe leading roll M, suspended in arms e, pivoted to the frame-work, and made adjustable by screws or otherwise, for the purpose set forth.

3. The paste-box N, supported in arms 21, ad-

15 16, iu combination with a sliding collar b, and grooved shaft L, for the purpose set forth.-

Witness myahand this 26th day of November, A. D.

` GHS. F. ANNAN.

Witnesses: y

N. W.. STEARNs,- W. J. CAMBRIDGE.

The times at which the brake-roller is elevated!" into contact with the paper strip are governed by the are open and the pressure of the upper one of each,`

78, the tension of which is regulated by setscrews",i9,

the .same .maehinet- .makarbags-ef Vall the various `lars b c, substantially as and for the purpose set` justahle by the screws 26, inV combination with the" -7. A dovetailed piece, d, provided with openings 

